Card tray construction



7 .IIII

4 gIllirilllll TRAY CONSTRUCTION Filed March 6, 1%3

IO II :mmm ,wllnh n u n m m m |||1|||||||||||||||i|||||||||||||| "n" 121' |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||r r u n r v n r v *e Wm F 3 Nicholas CFwswlw Amwg 0$a m AfrToRNE March 1, 1966 W K, W|L$ON ETAL 3,237,627

GARD TRAY coNsTlwc'iTN Filed March 6, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS I6 /l/23 I2 BY jrg MUNIllllIlHlImmHIllIlIllIlllIl"IlIMI|Ill[lllIWHHHIIUIIIHHHIHHHIHMHIUIW gm, Mv-m l 2l \2 n ATTORNEYS United States Patent O a corporation of Ohio Filed Mar. 6, 1963, Ser. No. 263,195 3 Claims. (Cl. 129-31) This invention pertains to a card tray construction for a filing appliance. More particularly it pertains to a card support plate used interchangeably as a backstop or compressor-follower for a cardtray.

Card trays or file' drawers for receiving and storing cards, papers, films, and similar card-size media are frequently provided with a backstop or compressor-follower (sometimes known as a wobble-block) for holding the contents of the drawer in compact storage position, or for holding the contents with a so-called V-opening when access to or reading of the cards is necessary. Various types of backstops or compressor-followers have been provided in the past and have been constructed with more or less operating parts, depending upon the particular purpose intended. Many of the backstops or compressorfollowers for filing drawers or trays have been unsatisfactory due to their complicated arrangement of parts as well as their operation. As a result, many card file backstops or compressor-followers have been unnecessarily complicated and bulky in construction.

It has been found that a satisfactory backstop or compressor-follower for card-size media in a filing drawer may be provided with a minimum of operating parts and, therefore, at a greatly reduced cost to the consumer. The backstop or compressor-follower of the present invention has the advantage of including a minimum number of parts without depriving the user of many of the advantages obtained with more complicated followers. The device provides a generally upright flat plate having an outturned flange or footer which engages a pair of parallel, spaced serrated edges which extend longitudinally of the flle drawer for holding the plate follower generally upright in any longitudinal position in the drawer.

In addition, the upright plate is reversible with respect to either endY of the tray for serving either as a* compressor-follower for the led media during storage, or as a backstop for providing large V-openings when access is had to the tray contents. The plate can be used as a compressor-follower or backstop for cards in either end portion of the tray.

Accordingly, it is a general object of the invention to provide an improved card tray` construction having a compressor-follower which may be reversed in position to be used as a backstop for` supporting card-size media in a readily visible manner.

It is another object of this invention to provide a ca-rd tray construction having an improved follower construction with a minimum of parts and bulk,

It is another object of. this invention to provide a card tray construction having a compressor-follower of simpli- Lfled construction and which is readily adjustable to any desired position.

It is another object of this invention to provide a card tray construction having a compressor-follower which when placed in one position stands substantially upright for holding card-size media in a compact position in a tray, and which in a reversed position is inclined backwardly and upwardly from the bottom of the tray for supporting card-size media with a V-opening.

It is another object of this invention to provide a card tray follower having an outturned lower flange and having a pair of spaced parallel serrated flange-engaging members which cooperate with the follower flange for holding the ICC follower in any desired longitudinal position with respect to opposite ends of a card tray.

Finally, it is an object of this invention to provide a new card tray construction which eliminates difficulties heretofore encountered in the art; eliminates costly manufacturing assembly and maintenance problems heretofore involved; and achieves the stated objects in a simplified and inexpensive manner.

These and other objects are accomplished by the parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations and subcombin-ations comprising the present inventionthe nature of which is set forth in the following general statement, and a preferred embodiment of which-illustrative of the best modes in which the applicants have contemplated applying the principles-is set forth in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and which is distinctly and particularly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims forming a part hereof.

The nature of the improved card tray construction of the present invention may be stated in general terms as including a tray having a bottom wall and upstanding end walls, the bottom wall having a C-shaped channel opening upward and extending longitudinally thereof and having a bottom portion, a pair of spaced longitudinal edge flanges, and a pair of inturned end flanges spaced above the bottom portion, the end flanges and the bottom portion being serrated with laterally extending teeth, a generally upright card-support plate in the tray and having an inverted T-shaped portion with oppositely extending tabs and an outturned flange at the lower edge of the tabs, the spacing between the outturned flange and the lower edge of the plate being greater than the spacing between the upper surface of the inturned end flanges and the upper surface of the channel bottom portion, the T-shaped portion with flange being engageable in the C- shaped channel, the plate beingV reversible between a substantially vertical card compressor-follower position and a card support backstop position, the outturned flange having spaced portions engaging the serrated teeth in the upper end flanges and in the bottom portion of the channel when the plate is in thecardv backstop position, and the tabs engaging the serrated teeth of the upper end flanges and` the-outturned flange engaging the serrated teeth in the bottom surface of the C-channel portion when the plate is in the compressor-follower position.

By way of example, an embodiment of the improved card tray construction is shown in the accompanying drawings forming part hereof in which:

FIGURE l is a plan view of a card tray showing a support plate for ille cards in `a backstop position;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 22 of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a vertical fragmentary sectional view taken on the line similar to that of FIG. 2, but showing the support plate in a compressor-follower position;

FIG. 4 is an end View of the card tray taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view taken on the line 6 6 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view showing the plate in the compressor-follower position, taken on the line 8 8 of FIG. 6 and showing the plate in a vertical (broken line) position with the plate footer released from serrated channel;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of the footer of the card support plate; and

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary plan View showing an intermediate position of the plate as it is rotated from the backstop (broken line) position of FIG. 7 to the Compressor-follower position of FIG. 8.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

A card tray is generally indicated at 1 in FIG. 1. It includes opposite side walls 2 and 3, opposite end walls 4 and 5, and a bottom wall 6. The side walls 2 and 3 are of similar construction and end walls 4 and 5 are provided with hand-receiving apertures 7, as -shown in FIG. 4. The upper edge of each end wall 4 and 5 is provided with a bead 8 having an inclined lower edge portion 9 which is aligned with the upper side of the opening 7 for increased comfort in carrying the loaded card trays. All of the side, end, and bottom Walls 2-6 are secured together, preferably by spot-welds, by suitable overlapping edge or end flanges, such as flange 10, as shown in FIGS. l and 2.

The side walls 2 and 3 are of substantially lesser height than the end walls 4 and 5 to facilitate access and handling of a plurality of card-size media or cards 11 which are contained in the trays 1, as shown in FIGS. 1-3. The card-size media may be the usual file cards, papers, films, or any other similar material suitable for storage in a card tray of the type involved herein. The card tray 1 may have outer dimensions suitable for storage in file cabinets or on shelves adapted for receiving card trays of the particular height involved.

As shown in the drawings, a C-shaped channel track 12 is centrally disposed longitudinally of the bottom wall 6 to which the member is secured preferably by spot-Welding. The track 12 opens upwardly and includes a bottom or base portion 13, opposite vertical side portions or edge flanges 14, and upper inturned end flanges 15 and 16 spaced above base portion 13. As shown in FIGS. 1, 7 and 8, the flanges 15 and 16 as well as the zones of the bottom portion 13 below said flanges are crimped longitudinally to provide serrated teeth 17 in the flanges 15 and 16 and corresponding serrated teeth 18 in the bottom portion. Thus, the track 12 provides a means for receiving and supporting a footer generally indicated at 19 at the lower edge of a card support plate 20.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, the track 12 is centrally located longitudinally of the bottom wall 6 of the card tray 1. n opposite sides of the track 12 a rectangular card support means is provided which includes a horizontal wall 21 and a downturned ilange 22, the lower end of which contacts the bottom wall 6. In FIG. 5, the wall 21 is preferably an inturned flange-like portion of the yside wall 3 and is crimped to provide transverse serrated teeth 23 which extend throughout the length of the wall 21. As shown in FIG. 1, similar teeth 23 are provided along the wall 21 adjacent the tray side wall 2. The serrated teeth 23 are at a slightly greater distance from the bottom wall than are the serrated llanges and 16 of the track 12 so that the lower edges of the file cards 11 rest upon the Walls 21 and are prevented from slipping by the teeth 23.

The card tray 1 is also provided with the card support plate which is a ilat rectangular member preferably composed of sheet metal. The plate 20 includes top and bottom edges 24 and 25, as well as opposite ends 26 which are spaced from the side walls 2 and 3 of the tray 1 when the plate 20 is disposed transversely in the tray (FIGS. 1 and 5 In addition the plate 2i) is provided with the footer 19 which has an inverted T-shaped conguration including a central vertical portion 27 and a pair of oppositely extending tabs 28 and 29, which central portion and tabs are disposed in the same plane as the plate 20. As shown more particularly in FIG. 9, the central Vertical portion 27 is a reduced neck-like portion between the plate 20 and the tabs 28 and 29. A pair of oppositely disposed notches 30 are formed by the tabs and the bottom edges 25, The tabs 28 and 29 have upper edges 31 and 32,

respectively, spaced below and in alignment with the lower edge 25 of the plate 20.

The footer 19 is also provided with a flange 33 which extends outwardly from the lower edge of the central portion and tabs and forms a corner 34 therewith. The flange 33 i-s at an angle (preferably an acute angle) with the surface of the plate 20 from which it projects. The flange 33 has an outer edge 35. Moreover, the width of the flange 33 between the corner 34 and the edge 35 is greater than the spacing between the upper serrated teeth 17 and the teeth 18 in the bottom portion 13.

. When the plate 20 is held in a Vertical plane (broken line position in FIG. 8), the vertical spacing between the upper edges 31 and 32 and the und-ersurface of the flange 33 is less than. the spacing between the serrated teeth 17 and 18 in the track 12.` In that vertical position the plate 20, therefore, may be moved longitudinally of the channel with the footer 19 disposed in the track.

The plate 20 may be rotated about `a vertical axis (FIG. 10) to change the position of the plate between either of two operating positions. During the intermediate positions of rotation of the plate 20 (FIG, l0), the tabs 28 and 29 of the footer 19 are clear of the inturned flanges 15 and 16 so that the plate may be lifted completely out of the tray 1.

In the backstop position the plate 20 is inclined at a substantial angle to a vertical plane for holding the cards 11 with a V-opening (FIGS. 2 and 7) for easy reading and access. In the compressor-follower position (FIGS. 3 and 8) the plate 20 is inclined at a lesser angle to a vertical plane in which position the plate holds the cards compactly in place against one end wall 4 as shown in FIG. 3.

When the plate 20 is inclined in the backstop position (FIGS. 2 and 7), the edge 35of the flange 33 engages the underside of the serrated teeth`17 and the corner 34 engages the upper side of the serrated teeth 18. On the other hand, when the plate 20 is inclined in the follower position (FIGS. 3 and 8), the upper edges 31 and 32 of the tabs engage the serrated teeth 17 of the flanges 15 and 16 of the channel 12, and the edge 35 of the flange 33 engages the upper surface of the serrated teeth 18 of the channel.

In either position of the plate 20, as shown in the solid line positions of FIGS. 7 and 8, the ilange 33 and portions of tabs cooperate with the upper and lower serrated teeth 17 and 18 to hold the plate 20 in place and secured against slipping. Also, in all of said positions, the lower edge 25 of the plate is clear of contact with not only the teeth 17 but also the teeth 23 of the walls 21.

In order to turn the plate 20 from one of the positions of FIGS. 7 and 8 to the other position, the plate is backed away from contact with the cards 11 to obtain suflicient clearance to rotate the plate about a vertical axis, as shown in FIG. 10.

Accordingly, the present invention provides an improved card tray construction having a card-supporting, sheet metal plate which may be used in either of two positions with respect to either end of the card tray. The plate may be used as a follower for compressing and holding card-size media in a compact position with respect to one end of the tray. Likewise, the plate may be used as a backstop for holding cards in an inclined accessible position for ready withdrawal or reading.

The manner in which the single sheet metal compressor-follower or backstop may be used in one of two positions is dependent upon the distinctive construction of the flanged footer at the lower edge of the plate as well as upon the distinctive cooperation between the ilanged footer and serrated channel-shaped track in the bottom of the card tray. When the plate is rotated in one direction about a horizontal axis located near the bottom of the tray, the flanged footer engages the spaced serrations of the track in a particular manner for holding the upper portion of the plate rigidly in place as a compressor-follower (FIGS. 3 and 8). When the plate is rotated in the other direction about the same axis, as shown in FIGS. Zand 7, the ilanged footer engages the serrations in a different manner for holding the plate rigidly in place as a backstop. The plate 20, however, can be used as a follower or backstop for cards adjacent either end wall 4, 5 of the tray 1.

In the foregoing description certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness and understanding, but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied beyond the requirements of the prior art because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed.

Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention is by way of example and the scope of the invention is not limited to the exact structure shown, because the sizes, shapes, and movements of the various parts and components may be varied to provide other structural embodiments without departing from the fundamental principles of the invention.

Having now described the features, discoveries, and principles of the invention, the assembly, characteristics, operation and use of a preferred form thereof, and the advantageous, new and useful results obtained thereby; the new and useful apparatus, combinations, parts, elements, subcombinations, arrangements and constructions, and mechanical equivalents obvious to those skilled in the art are set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Card tray construction for containing tile cards including a tray having a bottom wall and upstanding end walls, C-shaped channel means opening upward and extending longitudinally of the tray bottom wall; the channel means including a base portion, a pair of spaced longitudinal edge `flanges, and a pair of inturned end anges spaced above the base portion; the base portion and end flanges being formed with serrated teeth extending laterally of the channel means; a card support plate for supporting cards in the tray in each of backstop and follower plate positions, the plate having a bottom edge and having an inverted T-shaped footer extending below the bottom edge, the Ifooter being `formed with notches below said bottom edge defining with said bottom edge a pair of tabs extending oppositely laterally spaced below said bottom edge; the footer tabs terminating in a flange extending at an angle to and forming a corner with the tabs; the spacing between the footer -ilange and the plate edge being greater than the spacing between the inturned end ilanges and the channel base portion; the

footer being releasably received in said channel means with the footer tabs located under said inturned end flanges; the plate being movable between a backstop position inclined at one angle with respect to the tray bottom wall and a follower position inclined at another angle with respect to the tray bottom wall; the plate flange engaging the serrated teeth in the channel end flanges when the plate is in backstop position; and the plate flange engaging the serrated teeth in the base portion and the tab notch edges engaging the serrated teeth in the end llanges when the plate is in follower position.

2. Card tray construction lfor containing ille cards including a tray having a bottom wall and upstanding end Walls, a card support plate for supporting cards in the tray in each of backstop and follower plate positions at any -of various longitudinally adjustable plate locations between said tray end walls, the plate having a bottom edge and having an inverted T-shaped footer extending below said bottom edge, said footer including a neck connected with the plate and a pair of tabs extending oppositely laterally from the neck and having upper edges spaced Ifrom said plate bottom edge; the footer terminating in a flange extending at an angle to and forming a corner with the tabs, the flange having an outer edge remote from said corner and having an undersurface remote from the tabs; C-shaped channel means opening upward and extending longitudinally of the tray bottom wall and having a base portion and upper inturned flanges spaced from the base portion; the base portion and inturned flanges having serrated teeth extending laterally of the channel means; the plate footer being releasably received in said channel means with the footer tabs located under the inturned channel flanges; the distance between the outer edge of the footer -ilange and the `footer corner being greater than the vertical spacing between the serrated teeth in the inturned channel flanges and the base portion; the vertical spacing Ibetween the serrated teeth in the inturned channel `flanges and the base portion being greater than the spacing between the tab upper edges and the undersurface of the footer flange; the plate footer being slidable longitudinally along the channel ymeans when the plate is held vertical; the plate being reversible .between an inclined follower position on one side of its vertical position and an inclined backstop position on the other side of said vertical position; the outer edge of the footer flange engaging the serrated teeth in the inturned channel flanges and the footer corner engaging the serrated teeth in the channel base portion when the plate is in said backstop position; and the outer edge of the footer 'flange engaging the serrated teeth in the channel base portion and the tab upper edges engaging the serrated teeth in the inturned channel flanges when the plate is in said follower position.

3. Card tray construction for containing ille cards inoluding a bottom wall, opstanding end walls, and side wall means; track means extending longitudinally of the bottom wall and including a base portion and a pair of upper flanges spaced above the base portion, the base portion and. upper flanges having serrated teeth extending laterally of the track; a card support plate in the tray and having a bottom edge, the plate having an inverted T-shaped footer extending below the bottom edge and including a neck connected with the plate and a pair of tabs extending oppositely laterally from the neck and having upper edges spaced from `said bottom edge; the footer terminating in a flange extending at an angle to and forming a corner with the tabs; the footer flange having an outer edge remote from said corner; the footer being releasably received in said track means with the footer tabs located under the track flanges and between the track flanges and base portion; the distance between the outer edge of the footer flange and the footer corner being greater than the vertical spacing between the serrated teeth in the track flanges and the base portion; the vertical spacing between the serrated teeth in the track flanges and in the base portion being greater than the spacing between the tab upper edges and the footer flange; the plate being movable between a card supporting backstop position and a card compressor-follower position; the outer edge of the footer flange engaging the serrated teeth in the base portion and the tab upper edges engaging the serrated teeth in the track flanges when the plate is in one of said positions; and the outer edge of the footer llange engaging the serrated teeth in the track ilanges and the ilange corner engaging the serrated teeth in the base portion when the plate is in the other of said positions.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,289,525 12/1918 Nussey 129--28 1,469,347 10/ 1923 Westin 129-31 X 1,741,743 12/ 1929 Stralibel 129-31 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,316,830 3/1962 France.

27,117 1908 Great Britain. 895,152 5/ 1962 Great Britain.

JEROME SCHNALL, Primary Examiner. 

1. CARD TRAY CONSTRUCTION FOR CONTAINING FILE CARDS INCLUDING A TRAY HAVING A BOTTOM WALL AND UPSTANDING END WALLS, C-SHAPED CHANNEL MEANS OPENING UPWARD AND EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY OF THE TRAY BOTTOM WALL; THE CHANNEL MEANS INCLUDING A BASE PORTION, A PAIR OF SPACED LONGITUDINAL EDGE FLANGES, AND A PAIR OF INTURNED END FLANGES SPACED ABOVE THE BASE PORTION; THE BASE PORTION AND END FLANGES BEING FORMED WITH SERRATED TEETH EXTENDING LATERALLY OF THE CHANNEL MEANS; A CARD SUPPORT PLATE FOR SUPPORTING CARDS IN THE TRAY IN EACH OF BACKSTOP AND FOLLOWER PLATE POSITIONS, THE PLATE HAVING A BOTTOM EDGE AND HAVING AN INVERTED T-SHAPED FOOTER EXTENDING BLOW THE BOTTOM EDGE, THE FOOTER BEING FORMED WITH NOTCHES BELOW SAID BOTTOM EDGE DEFINING WITH SAID BOTTOM EDGE A PAIR OF TABS EXTENDING OPPOSITELY LATERALLY SPACED BELOW SAID BOTTOM EDGE; THE FOOTER TABS TERMINATING IN A FLANGE EXTENDING AT AN ANGLE TO AND FORMING A CORNER WITH THE TABS; THE SPACING BETWEEN THE FOOTER FLANGE AND THE PLATE EDGE BEING GREATER THAN THE SPACING BETWEEN THE INTURNED END FLANGES AND THE CHANNEL BASE PORTION; THE FOOTER BEING RELEASABLY RECEIVED IN SAID CHANNEL MEANS WITH THE FOOTER TABS LOCATED UNDER SAID INTURNED END FLANGES; THE PLATE BEING MOVABLE BETWEEN A BACKSTOP POSITION INCLINED AT ONE ANGLE WITH RESPECT TO THE TRAY BOTTOM WALL AND A FOLLOWER POSITION INCLINED AT ANOTHER ANGLE WITH RESPECT TO THE TRAY BOTTOM WALL; THE PLATE FLANGE ENGAGING THE SERRATED TEETH IN THE CHANNEL END FLANGES WHEN THE PLATE IS IN BACKSTOP POSITION; AND THE PLATE FLANGE ENGAGING THE SERRATED TEETH IN THE BASE PORTION AND THE TAB NOTCH EDGES ENGAGING THE SERRATED TEETH IN THE END FLANGES WHEN THE PLATE IS IN FOLLOWER POSITION. 